Busy as...

Today has been non-stop!

I have read more than I have in months, and completed two assignments for my diploma, plus arranged a new home loan, organised a surprise for tomorrow (don't tell my wife) and fixed printing issues with both my PC and my laptop.

Oh and I worked from home too so I had to log into work and resolve issues there!

I'm about to go and watch "Underbelly" with my wife so I haven't additional time to blog tonight.

Happy Valentines day tomorrow and please ladies, remember that men enjoy a present occasionally too.

Maybe tomorrow would be a good day to write and submit a romance - maybe a romance where the couple die horribly in a tragic skateboarding accident involving a run away giant prop fan that won't shut off - cool!

Plots

For sometime I've been a little disappointed with the ideas I've been generating in regards to plots - too trite, done before, not original enough, etc, etc.

I then remembered hearing somewhere (not sure when or where), that things are similar to ideas that have come before because there are only seven original plots.

I had an idea for a short, a little different to one I'd read last week, a different way of looking at the same thing. I was worried it wasn't original enough - solution - discover more about these so-called original seven plots.

My research has turned up some amazing stuff.

Within Google Answers I found this http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=210539 which has another link to a better article on the theme here http://www.ipl.org/div/farq/plotFARQ.html

Poe's Deadly Daughters has a slightly different take on this http://poesdeadlydaughters.blogspot.com/2007/09/only-so-many-stories-seven-original.html

So obviously I'm not the first (and I won't be the last) to have come to this conclusion that my ideas aren't original.

While struggling with this concept I read the current issue of Shadowed Realms (Issue 11) in which 13 short horror tales are told (including "Finding the Words" by Steven Cavanagh - 2006 winner of the AHWA flash fiction competition). They are all beautifully told tales from the dark side of writing that I would be loathed to try and categorise into one of seven basic plots. (Especially since a number of them are also written by fellow AHWA team members)

Of course I did but then I won't divulge my conclusions - try it yourself after reading them.

Even the 36 plot list found above seemed constraining so I looked further.

And I found this - http://emmajanedavies.wordpress.com/2004/04/02/plots-for-stories-and-novels/

This is an amazing breakdown of plots and an excellent article on the original plots in its own right. In the end Emma Davies (read her BIO - she's definitely different) breaks down the 36 point plot list into a staggering 380 something sub plots! If you're ever stuck for a plot idea, have a scan through this.

In the end, plot is important but there are only so many of them. It's your characters and what you do with them that will pull a reader in. More importantly, it is how you write what your characters do that will pull the agents and editors in.

No-one will look at a plot exactly like you do. No-one will use the same characters or the same traits that you give them. No-one will do to them what you will.

That is where the differences and originality needs to be. Dark stormy nights in ramshackle houses will always be around, but what happens within those walls, to who, how and in the manner it is presented to the reader is where you will win.

Good luck with those submissions.

Time waits for no man....

Just when you think you're on top of things, you run out of time - again! I sent off the first assignment yesterday and fully intended to read through the next section of the course and see what the next assignment was.

I got about half way through.

My lovely wife Jodi mentioned we should rearrange the study this coming weekend to make it more comfortable for me to work in. Then she made the brilliant suggestion that I retrieve an old wing back chair I had stored in the garage so I had somewhere nice to read.

That got me started - I had to get the chair into my study and I had to rearrange the whole study to make it work. So after removing doors, altering the desk, running additional cables, unloading the book case, moving boxes, etc, etc - I finally got it sorted.

I then looked at the clock - the evening had fled and I was pretty tired. The family has to get up at six each morning now to get things done so my days of staying up till 1am are behind me.

I received my instructions from HorrorScope last night and some welcome emails from the other friendly staff members. Nervous and anxious would be good words to describe me at the moment. I want to jump in and impress but don't want to over step the mark or stuff things up at the same time. Time to step back, take a breath and proceed a little slower. None of the other new team have posted anything yet either, those that are currently posting have been doing so for ages and do so more regularly than the others anyway. Chill pill time :)

I need to send out query letters tonight. I have a dozen or so shorts in the market that need to be followed up on this month.

On top of that I also need to follow up my stories that need to be resubmitted or finished editing or etc, etc. - see, no time.

I need a schedule. Many writers sites shout the virtues of making a writing time and guarding it jealously. It's not a silly suggestion. I once wrote for six hours every night and produced large amounts of work, including the first draft of my fantasy novel "Tigers Eye".

As the weather warmed and the days grew longer, my writing time shrank, whittled away to nothing. With a schedule, I'll have something to guard and plan around. My problem now seems to be that I'm finding things I need to do to ensure I have an opportunity to write. I work through all these things and never seem to actually get to writing! :(

So now that I've recognised the problem I will set a schedule, a negotiated schedule (need the bosses stamp of approval) and then stick to it. That schedule will have time allocated for writing and nothing else.

So priority one for today is to get that timetable set in stone and start getting things done!

What excuses are you using to put off writing or submitting??????

Time to write! Good luck.

Assignment 1 Done

Well the free writing assignment has been completed and is ready for posting. It'll be in the mail first thing tomorrow morning.

"Too Late the Rain" has been prep'd for sending out to another market. I've done some serious research into the types of markets out there in the dark fiction arena so I'm hopeful of finding the right place.

I'm going to revamp all the short stories I have and submit them all again. I didn't make my goal of gaining a second fiction publication before the end of 2007 but then if I never have another four months like that again - it will be too soon.

Haven't yet heard what my new duties are for HorrorScope but I'm anxious to get started.

That's it for now....

Good luck with your submissions.

Excellent News

I have just been informed that I have been accepted as the sixth and final new member on the HorrorScope Associate Editors team. It means I get the opportunity to review books, magazines and DVD's in the horror genre - woohoo!!!!!

Make sure you check out the best horror blog on the web :)

HorrorScope

What a great way to start the day!

Change is a good thing

They say change is as good as a holiday - whoever they are!

So I've changed the look of the blog to fit in more with the way I write.

Dark fiction/Horror/Twisted/Weird. There are so many names for it now. I'll stick with dark fiction as I think it covers the genre nicely.

Still ultra busy at work and now I have to go help my kids with their homework - no rest for the wicked.

One last piece of news - I applied for an Associate Editors spot today. Won't say where or doing what incase I don't get it. Fingers crossed.

Later!

Changes are a happening

As you may have noticed - some fundemental changes are taking place on the blog. The colour scheme and fonts may seem a little out of whack at the moment as I play with a new look. Unfortunately it doesn't seem to want to let me do it from work during my lunch break so I'll have to find the time at home.

My course books arrived yesterday and last night I began reading and working on my first assignment. 15 minutes of "Free Writing" and then revision of the result. Have you ever sat down cold and attempted to write an opinion piece? This was not to be written within 15 minutes but writing for 15 minutes non-stop. It's not as easy as it sounds.

I was instructed not to worry about grammer or spelling or the like - just write. Or, as it turned out, just ramble on. The purpose was to revise the piece to sharpen focus, identify audience, tone, etc etc - an exercise in the style and context of writing professionally. An interesting exercise. Draft 1 and revision 1 were completed last night. I'll leave it for a day or so to allow a fresh pair of eyes to have a look at it on the weekend.

Thanks for reading and good luck in whatever you're doing in your field of writing.

Important Horror News

I have just heard that Australian Horror Writers Association is launching their own magazine.

For all the details see here:

http://ozhorrorscope.blogspot.com/2008/02/news-ahwa-to-launch-midnight-echo.html

or check out the AHWA web site:

http://www.australianhorror.com/

Excellent news!!

Get cracking on those stories!

White Rabbit Syndrome

Where does the time go?

I started a post earlier today at work during my lunch break. I then got called into a meeting which went ridiculously long and turned out to be a waste of time! I then got side tracked with over heating issues in a server rack, and then had to rush off to cricket training - I coach so I had to go.

I got home and then helped my boy with a resume for his first job application.

I only now get time to find out I never finished the blog from work. :(

The internal students began tonight but I still don't have my books. I spoke with the freight company who are blaming the Arts Centre. I spoke with a nice woman from the Arts Centre who blames the dispatchers. Either way, I'm still waiting for my books. Not a great start to the school year.

As soon as I get my course work I'll let you all know what I'm in for.

Started perusing the short story markets again today (this morning before it all hit the fan). Found some new ones to send my current stock to. As of tomorrow I will spend an hour or two each day at the keyboard working on either current stories or course work.

Hope your writing continues to blossom and your submissions are successful!